[ 188 3 



XXXVII. Description of an Ourang Outavg: ivith ObseV" 

 vatioiis on its intellectual Faculties. By M. Frederick 



CUVIER*. 



J. HE female ourang outang which formed the subject of 

 my ohst-rvaiions belmgL-d to the same species with the 

 ourang outangs described by Tulpius, Edwards, Vosmaer, 

 Allaniand, and Euffon : it is the Simia Satyrus of Linnaeus. 

 When erect in its natural position its height did not exceed 

 frcMii 2G to 30 inches: the length of the arms from the arm- 

 pits to the tips of the fini^ers was i8 inches, and the lower 

 extremities from the top of the thigh to the tarsus were only 

 from eight to nine inches. The upper jaw had four sharp 

 incisors, the two in the middle were double the breadth of 

 the lateral, two short canine teeth, similar to those of men, 

 and three molaria on each side, wiih soft tubercles. The 

 lower jaw had also four incisors, two canine teeth, and six 

 molaria, but the incisors were of equal size. The number 

 of the inolarla was not complete. The germ of a tooth 

 was seen on each side at the extremity of the upper and 

 under jaws, and it is probable that others .voulu be produced 

 at subsequent periods. The form of these teeth was the 

 eame with that of the molaria of mi-n and apes in general. 



The hands had five fingers precisely like those of men, 

 only the thunsb extended no further than the first joint of 

 the fore finger. The feet also had five toes, but the great 

 toe was placed much lov\c. than that of a man, and in its or- 

 dinary position, in.stead of being parallel to the other toes, 

 it formed with them nearly a right angle. A!l the toes were 

 similar in structure to the fingers and were ver\ free in their 

 iTiotions, and the whole of them without exception had 

 nails. It had almost no calves to the legs, or buttocks. The 

 head resembled that of a man, much more than that of any 

 animal; the forehend was hi^h and salient, and the capacity 

 of the cranium was great ; but the neck was very short. The 

 tongue was soft*and similar to that of other apes; and al- 

 though the lips were extremely thin and scarcely apparent, 

 they possessed the power of extension in a considerable de- 

 gree. The nose, which was completely flat and on a level 

 with the face at its base, was slightly salient at its extremity, 

 and the nosinls opened downwards. The eyes were like 

 those of oiher apes, and the ears completely resembled those 

 of men. 



The vulva was very small, its labia scarcely perceptible, 



* AiutuUs du Museum d'liist. NalAomc ivi. p. 46. 



and 



